The man they call “Showtime” last appeared at UFC 164 in August,
when he submitted Benson
Henderson with a first-round armbar to capture the 155-pound
crown at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in his native Milwaukee.
Pettis -- Sherdog.com’s “Breakthrough Fighter of the Year” in 2010
-- has since withdrawn from a scheduled title defense against
Josh
Thomson and undergone knee surgery that will likely keep him
sidelined until sometime this summer. He has compiled a 4-1 record
since arriving in the UFC as part of the
World Extreme Cagefighting merger three years ago, a unanimous
decision defeat to Clay Guida at
“The Ultimate Fighter 13” Finale his lone misstep.

Pettis trains out of the
Roufusport camp, where he sharpens his skills under four-time
world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus. A third-degree black belt in
tae kwon do, he has finished each of his last three opponents --
Henderson, Donald
Cerrone and Joe Lauzon --
inside one round.

Those in MMA celebrating a birthday during the week covering Jan.
26-Feb. 1: